Kyvat out of chances with Red Bull

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Ah Kvyat, Russian wunderkind. Capable of some good moves, more than capable of bad ones too.

This weekend he found himself entangled with none other than his own team-mate. More than once Kyvat has proven that F1 material make lousy bumpercars. Sainz had to retire, Kyvat’s car was damaged, but at least he could continue the race. Kyvat would like to see it as misunderstanding, but obviously Sainz disagrees.

Maggotts-Becketts was the battleground of choice this time, as Kvyat rode the combination on the inside of Sainz. The Russian could not keep the corner, had to move out and found Sainz where the sidepod should have been. Neither driver could keep the straight, and both spun. For Sainz it was brexit. Kvyat could continue, but the situation got him a drive through later.

“I was ahead when we went into the corner, I had just overtaken him” Kyvat told reporters after the race. “I didn’t even see him” Understeer was the cause of moving to the outside of the corner, unluckily the piece of track Sainz was using at the same time. Kvyat thinks Sainz missed his sliding and so didn’t make any attempt to react. “Sainz’ speed was so high that I couldn’t do anything”, Kyvat added.

Kyvat hasn’t discussed the incident with Sainz just yet. “First I want to review the video. If I still feel the same after, I’m going to talk with the stewards to see what they think. ”

Sainz has a different viewpoint of whom might be the culprit leading to the accident. “Nicely done Daniil,” the Spaniard sneered on the on-board radio. Afterwards Sainz didn’t want to reflect on the incident too long. “Everyone has seen it on tv. There is nothing you can do to avoid such a thing. I would like to leave it at that. I prefer to discuss it with the team. ”

Kyvat has appearances against him in this season where things aren’t really working out for him. In Austria, Kyvat’s attempt at carambolage took Alonso and Verstappen out of the race. Earlier adventures have already earned Kyvat the nickname “The Torpedo”.

When I heard Red Bull was giving him another season in the Torro Rosso, I felt Kyvat had earned it. It wasn’t his fault Verstappen’s star was rising that quick. Kyvat had put in some solid performances, but I admit, Red Bull must be scratching behind their ears: give the Russian another chance, or pass the opportunity to other talents.

Kyvat’s contract stops at the end of the season, Sainz’s runs until 2019. Red Bull already launched the idea that Sainz’s contract can be bought (for around $8M), but there aren’t any takers just yet. Renault seems to target a reset of Jolyon to Jolyoff, and replace him with the single Pole which has put a car on Pole: Kubica. Other seats opening might not be interesting for Sainz…

This leads to believe that Kyvat might not be around to take drive throughs in 2018..

12 responses to “Kyvat out of chances with Red Bull”

There were several commentators, who after yesterdays race, suggested that another on-track incident in Hungary, especially if Sainz is involved, would end Kyvat’s career with Toro Rosso and Gasly will be brought in.

The bigger picture here is that it seems the RB junior program is starting to fall apart. Neither Kyvat or Sainz really look like they have the talent to move to Red Bull, and if the intent of Toro Rosso is to develop talent for RB and you have decided that neither will move there – what’s the point. And with the exception of Gasly, RB don’t have anyone in the pipeline. Maybe its time to rethink what Toro Rosso’s role is.

True. However when Toro Rosso dumped both their drivers previously they had replacements they believed had talent. Right now they have Gasly and no one else. If Sainz goes, which is likely, they’ll have to keep Kyvat, essentially wasting a seat on a driver who is going nowhere for RB.

I don’t think RB’s junior program is falling apart. It produced talents like Vettel and Ricciardo. And of course Max Verstappen who was promoted to the big team only one year ago.
Although Sainz may not be on Ricciardo / Verstappen level, he is a good driver – at least, last year / early this year he was. Gasly deserves his chance at Toro Rosso. Don’t know who is coming in the near future. But Red Bull have the structure to pick up a new talent as soon as it appears. Just the way they did with Verstappen.

Verstappen was not really part of their young driver program. Beeing part of their family has some risks. If you don’t make it there it is end of career. Vettel is the only one that ended up outside the RedBull dynasty. The rest went into the RBR schredder 🙂

Vettel was added to the RedBull program after he did those races for BMW as a reserve driver.
It is the end of your F1 career. Bourdais and Buemi are still racing. Don’t know what Speed and Algusuari are doing.

No. Vettel’s original big sponsor was Red Bull. Then after he blitzed Formula BMW (F4 equivalent), he was also sponsored by BMW. He filled in for Kubica at Indy in 2007, got a point, and Red Bull worked a deal to have him at STR when they canned Speed.